The Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group works to help people whose rights have been violated and investigates cases involving such abuse, as well as assessing the overall human rights situation in Ukraine. The Group also seeks to develop awareness of human rights issues through public events and its various publications

During the night into 2 February the Chief Editor of the newspaper Nezalezny Kuryer [Independent Courier], Serhiy Rybachenko, was attacked. He is in a critical care unit and preliminary reports suggest that he is in a coma.

The Vinnytsa Regional MIA are presently trying to establish what happened. They report that an ambulance took Mr Rybachenko to Central City Hospital No. 2 at two o’clock in the morning. Doctors say he has a closed skull and brain injury.